Cotton-picking machine.



No. 779,129. PATBNTED JAN. 3, 1905. J. N. MOEAOHBRN'.

COTTON PICKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAY 3, 1904.

- ZSHEETS-SHEET 1.

No, 779,129. PAPENIED JAN. 9, 1005.

J. N. MOBAOHERNE COTTON PIGKING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 3, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 Jnmmmm Patented January 3, 1905.

ATENT tries.

JOHN NEIL MOEACHERN, OF HIGHLAND, TEXAS.

COTTON-PICKING IVIACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,129, dated January3, 1905.

Application filed May 3, 1904. Serial No. 206,170.

To (tZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN NEIL MoEAoHERN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Highland, in the county of Erath and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Imp rovements in Cotton-PickingMachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a cotton-picking machine, and more particularlyto a pneumatically-controlledcotton-pickingappliance;

and my invention consists of certain novel features of combination andconstruction of parts, the preferred form whereof will be hereinafterclearly set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

The main object of my invention, among others, is to provide areliably-efficient machine of the character specified whereby theripened portion of the cotton may be easily and thoroughly picked orremoved and disposed in a suitable receptacle.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a partof this application, and in which Figure 1 shows a side elevation of myinvention complete ready for use. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof.Fig. 3 isa transverse sectional view taken on a median line of thesuction-fan. Fig. 4 is a top plan view showing certain parts in section.Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the suction-tubes. Fig. 6 is adetail showing the preferred method of attaching the drivingsprocket-wheel to the carrying-wheel, as by a plurality of brackets orarms.

For convenience of reference to the various details of my invention andcooperating accessories numerals will be employed, the same numeralapplying to a similar part throughout the several views.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 designates thecarrying-wheels, upon which is disposed the platform or carrying-frameproper, 2, upon which I operatively mount certain parts of my invention,it being understood that suitable means for connecting the draftanimalsto the carrying-truck thus or otherwise constructed shall be provided.To one of the rear wheels I secure the driving sprocketwheel 3, and uponthe platform 2 I mount in suitable bearings the driven sprocket-wheel 4,said sprocket-wheels being operatively connected, as by the chain 5. Thesprocketwheel 4, it will be observed, is mounted upon the shaft 6, whichalso carries the gear-wheel 7, designedto mesh with the gear 8, fixedupon the stub-shaft 9, said stub shaft being rotatably mounted insuitable bearings 10, carried by the platform.

Upon the outer end of the stub-shaft 9 I mount the gear 11, which mesheswith the gear 12 upon the shaft 13, the latter being rotatably mountedin bearings 14, secured to a contiguous part of the platform, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4. Upon the inner end of the shaft 13 I secure theband-wheel 15, designed to drive the band-wheel 16 of the fan 17, whichlatter is supported upon suitable standards 18, erected upon the centralportion of the platform, as clearly shown. The bandwheels 15 and 16 areoperatively connected by the band or belting 19, and by means of thetrain of gears above referred to it is obvious that the blower orsuction fan 20 in the casing 17 will be driven at a rapid speedsufliciently to exhaust the air in the casing 17, and sincesaid'casingis provided with the tubular extension 21, placed in communication withthe suction-tubes 22, by means of the box-like sections 23, it isobvious that great force of suction may be applied to the ripenedcotton, whereby the latter will be sucked into the tubes 22 and fromthence delivered into the receiving-tubes or box-like compartments 23,which latter may be providedat intervals with suitable cross-bars oroutwardly-projecting hook-like fingers 23, While the cotton will beengaged by said bars or fingers and arrested and prevented from enteringthe fan proper, and since said boxlike members 23 are provided with asuitable lid it is obvious that access may be readily gained to theinterior thereof for the removal of the gathered cotton fiber.

The casing 17 may, if preferred, be left open at its lower end, asindicated by the numeral 24;, and a suitable box or receptacle (shown bydotted lines in Fig. 1) located beneath said opening to receive thecotton fiber; but I reserve the right to use either form of constructionwhich I may deem most reliable and efficient in practice. Thesuction-tubes 22 are secured to the outer end ofsaid box members'bymeans of flexible tubes 29, the lower end of said boxes 23 being closedand having tubular extensions 30, over which is slipped one end of theflexible members 29, whereby the tubes 22 may be readily moved frompoint to point, so as to enable the operator to apply the ends thereofto the cotton to be gathered.

The various parts of my invention may be made of any desired materialand any preferred size which is thought will best suit the requirements,and while I have described the preferred combination and construction ofparts deemed necessary in carrying out my invention I wish to comprehendin this application all substantial equivalents and substitutes that maybe considered as fairly falling within the scope of my invention.

Believing that the construction and advantages of my invention have thusbeen made clearly apparent, the operation thereof may be stated to be asfollows: The machine is driven through the field in the usual manner andan attendant employed to hold the free ends thereof in close contactwith the ripened cotton, when the suction caused by the fan 20 Willremove the'ripened cotton fiber and convey the same upward into thebox-like receptacle 23 or into the casing 17, as the case may be.

By the use of my invention the laborious and expensive work of pickingcotton will, itis thought, be reduced to a minimum.

While the driving sprocket-wheel may be attached to the carrying-wheelin any preferred way, as by bolting the same to the inner end of thehub, I have shown it as being connected to the carrying-wheel by meansof a plurality of angular brackets 25, bolted to the inner side ofthe'band of the sprocket-wheel, as indicated by the numeral 26, whilethe other branch of the bracket 25 is provided with a collar 27, securedat a proper point upon one of the spokes 28 of the carrying-wheel.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The hereindescribed cotton picking machine, comprising a suitable truckor frame and carrying-wheels therefor; a suction-fan operatively mountedupon said frame; a suitable train of gear-wheels operatively connectedwith the fan and with one of said carryingwheels; compartments 23reaching from the casing of said fan and having flexible terminals, saidcompartments having cotton-arresting devices upon their inner surfaceswhereby the cotton fiber will be held until removed, and suction-tubessecured to said flexible terminals all combined substantially asspecified and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two sub scribing witnesses.

JOHN NEIL MOEACHERN.

Witnesses:

J. L. WATSON, J. W. LYNCH.

